Emotional Karl Stefanovic Addresses David Warner’s Return to Australia amid the Cheating Scandal and Admits he Knows what it’s like to be ‘a Father and Under the Pump’

became emotional as he addressed cricketer David Warner’s tearful return to Australia amid the ball tampering scandal.

Disgraced sportsman David was greeted by his sobbing wife Candice and their two young daughters as he made his way through Sydney Airport on Thursday night.

And Today host Karl, 43, seemed visibly upset as he discussed the photos on Friday, admitting he knew what it was like to be ‘a father and under the pump’.

‘There are some criticisms about David Warner and his kids at the airport yesterday,’ he said sombrely.

‘As a father if you are under the pump and you come back from overseas (there’s) nothing better in the world than for your partner and your kids to wrap their arms around you, from my perspective,’ he continued.

Karl has three children – Jackson, 18, Ava, 12, and River, 10 – with his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn and is now engaged to former model Jasmine Yarbrough, who is nine years his junior.

Karl also addressed the backlash to the ball-tampering scandal, branding some of the comments ‘disgusting’.

‘Go online and there are people who have made awful, awful remarks about this and I think it’s disgusting,’ he said.

It comes after vice-captain David arrived back in Australia after being sent home from South Africa in disgrace.

‘As you can understand it has been a tough and emotional time for my wife and the kids, at this present time, you’ll hear from me in a couple of days,’ Warner said.

‘At the moment, my priority is to get these kids in bed and rest up, and let my mind be clear, so I can think and talk to you in a couple of days.’

Cameron Bancroft, who used sandpaper to scuff up one side of the ball, will also be suspended from cricket for nine months.

Meanwhile, Karl faced his own controversy earlier this month when details of a frank conversation between Karl and his brother Peter Stefanovic about Today co-host Georgie Gardner and other Nine Network talent were made public.

The details were published in New Idea magazine after a rumoured $50,000 deal was made with the driver.

The Uber driver supposedly overheard the brothers’ 45-minute conversation after Peter took a late-night ride in his car and spoke to Karl on speakerphone.

Karl reportedly discussed his ‘problems’ with Georgie – who recently joined him as co-host of the Today show – and claimed she ‘sits on the fence’ and is too neutral.

The Uber driver told New Idea: ‘(Karl) said she didn’t have enough opinions and he wanted her to step up. He actually sounded angry and said he was going to start pushing hard and that she needed to do that if she wanted to stay on the show.’